What do these GSEs mean? What subtopics do students need to address to understand these GSEs?

• Understanding systems (open/closed)
• Equilibrium of natural cycles in an ecosystem
  • Carbon Cycle
  • Nitrogen Cycle
  • Water Cycle
• Carrying Capacity

• Different ways ecosystems can be altered
  • Pollution
  • Deforestation
  • Habitat loss
  • Over-exploitation
  • Introduced/Invasive species
• Effects of altering an ecosystem
• Effects that damage to one ecosystem might have on a global scale
  • Global Warming/Climate Change
  • Loss of Ozone Layer
• Carbon footprints
• Note: This GSE seems closely related to LS4 (9-11) -9.

• Understanding ecological succession

• Exponential growth
• Carrying Capacity
• Density Dependent Factors vs. Independent Density Factors
  • Disease, Predators, Competition

• Mining
  • Surface Mining
  • Underground Mining
• Forestry
  • Deforestation
  • Soil Erosion
• Urban Development
  • Solid Waste
    • Landfills
    • Reusing, Recycling, Reducing
• Agriculture
  • Pesticides

• Global Warming
• Ozone Depletion
• Photochemical Smog
• Coal Burning
• Acid Precipitation
• Controlling the Source

• Water Conservation
• Water Pollution
  • Pollution of Ocean
  • Pollution of Groundwater
• Reducing Water Pollution
  • The Safe Drinking Water Act
  • The Clean Water Act

What ideas to students need to understand before they can address the topics described above?

• What equilibrium means
• The definition/concept of an ecosystem
• Definition of:
  • Pollution
  • Deforestation
  • Habitat Loss
  • Over-exploitation
  • Introduced/Invasive Species
• Humans have an impact on ecosystems
• Biotic and abiotic factors of an ecosystem and the differences between the two
• Ecosystems have different cycles (i.e. carbon, nitrogen, water, etc)

What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?

• Climate change and the loss of the ozone layer are pretty much the same thing.
• Aerosol spray cans are a major contributor to climate change.
• General pollution and toxic chemicals are major contributors to climate change.
• The space program is a major contributor to climate change because it punches holes in the atmosphere.
• Using nuclear power causes climate change.
• Humans do not impact nature because we don't live in nature.
• Humans are the only influence on ecosystems.
• Global warming only affects the polar regions
• Global warming will make all of the earth warm
• Pollution is only in the air

What phenomena and representations help students understand these topics?

• videos: "An Inconvenient Truth
• Carbon Footprint Calculator
• news articles regarding natural disasters

What activities or activity sequences can be used to address these GSEs?

Released NECAP items

• NECAP 2009 GR 11 07

News Related to Climate Change

• A Climate Change Reading List For Laypeople : NPR by fogleman Dec 4, 2009 1:38 pm
• Global Climate Change: NASA's Eyes on the Earth by fogleman Dec 3, 2009 5:08 amClimate change videos
• Official Google Blog: Google climate change tools for COP15 by fogleman Sep 22, 2009 1:06 pmGoogle has assembled tools that help visualize the effects of global climate change.
• The Civil Heretic - Freeman Dyson - Profile - NYTimes.com by fogleman Mar 29, 2009 10:06 pmA dissenting view of global warming?
• Willie Smits restores a rainforest | Video on TED.com by fogleman Mar 6, 2009 6:00 amThe TED talks are great. This one is encouraging and probably complex enough to provide a context for an entire ecology unit.
• Gapminder World by fogleman Feb 3, 2009 6:06 amAn interesting view of life expectancy vs income.
• Rising Acidity Is Threatening Food Web of Oceans, Science Panel Says - NYTimes.com by fogleman Jan 31, 2009 8:11 am
• Wave Power Facility Successful in Sweden by fogleman Dec 9, 2008 8:46 amCan ocean waves be used as an energy source?
• Wind Screen Collects Cool Air To Help Save The Rhône Glacier In Switzerland by fogleman Dec 8, 2008 5:56 pmA wind screen to cool a glacier. Right.
• Accelerated Melting Of Continental Icepacks Is Major Reason For Rise In Sea Level Between 2003 And 2008 by fogleman Nov 30, 2008 12:12 pmIn case you where skeptical about effects of melting icepacks.
• Climate Change Opens New Avenue For Spread Of Invasive Plants by fogleman Nov 30, 2008 12:07 pmWill climate change lead to more invasive species?
• Ocean Growing More Acidic Faster Than Once Thought; Increasing Acidity Threatens Sea Life by fogleman Nov 30, 2008 12:03 pmMore evidence about changing ocean conditions.
• NASA Satellites Watch Polar Ice Shelf Break into Crushed Ice: Scientific American by fogleman Jul 13, 2008 8:12 amAre ice shelf breakups evidence of climate change? What would your students say after your course?
• Coral Grief: Warming Climate Threatens Reef Destruction: Scientific American by fogleman Jul 13, 2008 7:29 amEvidence of negative effects of global warming.
• NSTA's Lab Out Loud Podcast: Bill Nye the Science Guy by fogleman May 11, 2008 10:51 pmEver wonder how Bill Nye became the Science Guy? He talks about this, energy conservation, and other political issues in this interview with the Lab Out Loud guys.
• TED | Talks | Al Gore: New thinking on the climate crisis (video) by fogleman May 1, 2008 8:43 pmWhat role should science teachers play in Al Gore's challenge?
• Antarctic Ice Shelf 'Hangs By A Thread,' New Dramatic Images Show by fogleman May 1, 2008 8:43 pmIs Antarctica breaking up?
• Levels of Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere Increase - New York Times by fogleman Apr 24, 2008 5:18 amWhat is the CO2 trend? What are the causes of the yearly increases?
• A Textbook Case of Downplaying Global Warming? - Dot Earth - Climate Change and Sustainability - New York Times Blog by fogleman Apr 16, 2008 10:27 pmCan this student's work be extended into other areas? Do other texts treat scientific issues objectively?